MOSCOW, August 2. /TASS/ The Skoltech Space Center and Elsevier publishing house together with the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) and International Astronautical Federation (IAF) have launched a new journal REACH – Reviews in Human Space Exploration, as reported by the press-service of Skoltech.

“REACH is a review journal that focuses on all aspects of human space exploration. The journal will cover comprehensive overviews of the science of human and robotic space exploration, life sciences research in space, and beneficial terrestrial applications that are derived from spaceflights. It is the official human space exploration review journal of the IAA and IAF. Special emphasis will be put on the most important recent developments and challenges,” Elsevier reported.

The journal will be under the leadership of editor-in-chief Rupert Gerzer, Skoltech Space Center, Russia. The editorial board has been complemented by co-editors representing established aerospace nations: USA, Germany, China, and Russia

The first issue of the journal contains an article written by Skoltech students based on the recent course of professor Gerzer on human spaceflights.

Elsevier is a world-leading publishing company with an annual turnover about $2 billion that provides scientific, technical, and medical information products and services. Elsevier publishes more than 2000 journal including prominent The Lancet (http://www.journals.elsevier.com/the-lancet) and Cell (http://www.journals.elsevier.com/cell/). Elsevier often faces criticism because of its copyright policy. Exemplarily, in 2012, scientists have declared a boycott to this publishing house as it has advocated the laws PIPA and SOPA intended to fight with "piracy". Now, Elsevier is going on the warpath with the Sci-Hub website which provides an open access to the dozens of billions of scientific articles.